Door construction



Feb. 11, 1936. G. R. TREPTOW DOOR CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet Y l Filed Aug. l5, 1934 @L ,/TTY

Feb.. 11, 1936. G. R. TREPTow 2,030,774-

DOOR CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. l5, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 VY "vll/110111111111 A I TTX famed Fei. 11, 1936 NirED STATES attain PATENT OFFHE DOOR CONSTRUCTION of Ohio Application August 15, 1934, Serial No. 739,893

10 Claims.

This invention relates to lift doors and concerns itself more particularly with means for frictionally supporting said doors and for improving the weather condition adjacent the lower 5 horizontal margin thereof.

It has been customary in the past where doors of the lift type have been utilized upon the sides of railway freight cars to establish frictional engagement between the lower edges of said doors 10 and a supporting track therefor. By this engagement between the door and the supporting track in the lowered or normal position of the door,

the lift and supporting fixtures are relieved of the weight of the door which is carried directly 15 by the track. The frictional engagement has customarily been effected between the lower edge of the door and the tread of the track which, heretofore, has been disposed in a single plane. Accordingly, a wide surface contact between the 2 door and the track was obtained. It was found, however, in the actual employment of doors of the lift type on railway cars that cinders and other foreign matter sometimes accumulated upon the track so that when the door was lowered 25.thebottorn edge thereof would be seated upon the cinders or other foreign substances rather than in direct engagement with the tread of the track. A space wasthus formed between the tread of the track and the bottom edge of the door through which dust, cinders and rain might blow into the car through the door opening controlled bythe door. Inthese former constructions, moreover, it sometimes occurred that air currents would force cinders, dust and the like upwardly in the space between the inner surface of the door and the threshold plate or floor in the door opening and thence into the car through the door opening.

This invention, consequently, has for its main object the improvement upon th'e conditions set forth above and encountered in constructions embodying doors of the lift type. This improvement contemplates a reduction in area of contact between the bottom edge of the door and the track and provides a construction in the door opening of the car by means of which the ingress of cinders, dust and the like into the car around the lower edge of the door is precluded.

The foregoing object, together with others 5()y which will more clearly appear as the description of the instant invention proceeds, are accomplished by means of the novel structure and combination of parts hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out and dened in the ap- 55 pendecl claims. l

(Cl. .Z-22) In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification Figure l is an elevation of a railway freight car utilizing lift doors and embodying one form of the invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken on line 2 2 of Figure 1, illustrating the door in its lowered or normal position;

Figure 3 is a vertical section similar to Figure 2, showing the door in elevated position;

Figure 4 is a vertical section taken on line 4--IIV of Figure 1; and

Figures 5, 6 and l are views similar to Figure 2, showing further embodiments ofthe invention.

Referring, rst, to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, of the drawings, the numeral ID designates a portion of the siding of a railway car. This siding is provided with the customary door opening adapted to be controlled by means of a door II. The door is of the type known as lift door and is supported upon the car side by means of a track I2 secured to the side sill I3 by means of a plurality ofbrackets I4. As clearly illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings, the door II in its low- 25 ered or normal position is disposed in frictional engagement with the track.

Lift mechanism is provided upon the door by means of which said frictional engagement between the door and the track may be broken and the door elevated above the track for support upon antifriction means incorporated in the lift mechanism. One form of lift mechanism which may be utilized is shown in Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings. This form embodies a plurality of roller retainers I5 and I6. These retainers carry pins I1 upon which rollers I8 and I9 are mounted. Preferably, roller bearings 29 are interposed between the hubs of the rollers and the pins Il. The roller retainers are provided with pairs of trunnions 2| and 22 disposed in offset relationship to the pins i1 adapted to bejournaled within cover plates 23 and 24 and in the lower marginal portion of the door. This marginal portion of the door, as clearly appears from Figure 2 of the drawings, embodies a reinforcing angle member 25, the leg 26 of which is vertically disposed and the leg 2l of which is positioned horizontally. The horizontal leg 2l is coped as indicated at 28 in order to permit the rollers I8 and 50 I9 to extend therethrough into engagement with the track l2. The trunnion 2l of one of the roller retainers, preferably the roller retainer I5, is extended through an opening provided in the cover plate 23. An operating lever 29 is engaged 55 with the'extending portion of the trunnion 2|, the lower portion of said lever being retained against disengagement from the trunnion by means of overlapping flanges 30 and 3| providedV on the cover plate. The upper-portion of the Voperating lever 29 is retained upon the door by virtue of the engagement between an offset nger provided on the lever and a quadrant 33 secured to the door. Simultaneous movement of the roller retainers l5 and i5 is obtained by means of a bar SiiV connecting said retainers. Disengagement of the lower portion of the door from the track is prevented by means of the interlocking relationship between the hook shaped portions 35 and 35 provided on the cover plates 23 and 24 and a depending iiange 31 provided on the track l2.

,When it is desired to move the door longitudinally it is only necessary to exert a downward pull uponV the free end of the lever 29, whereuponthe roller retainers |5 and I6 will rotate about the rollers 8 and 9 as fulcrums and will exert a lifting force upon the door about the points where the pairs of trunnions 2| and 22 are journaled in the door and in the Ycover' plates. The weight of the doors is thus transferred to the rollers and the door may readily be moved longitudinally of the car.

While the form of lift mechanism illustrated in the drawings Vhas been described in some detail it is to be Yunderstood that any other form of lift mechanism may be utilized as well.

In the lowered or normal position of the door it is desirable that the weight thereof be transferred from the rollers directly to the supporting track. To this end frictional engagement between the lower edge of the door and the track is had. This frictional engagement, in the instant embodiment of the invention occurs between the track and the lower reinforcing angle 25 secured to the door.

In the considered embodiment of the invention the track i2 is provided with an upstanding portion 38, the upper surface of which lies above the portion of the track engaged by the rollers i8 and i9 and which is preferably continuous with the length of the track. In its lowered position the angle member 25 has frictional engagement with the upstanding portion 33 and thus relieves the rollers i8 and |9 of the weight of the door. It will be apparent that by virtue of this construction accumulation of dust, cinders or the like upon that portion of the track which is engaged by the rollers in the longitudinal movement of the door will not aifect the proper seating of the lower edge of the door upon the upstanding portion 33 of the track. Moreover, the area presented by this upstanding portion for frictional engagement with the lower edge of the door has been substantially decreased so as to materially decrease the possibility of cinders, dust or the like from adhering to Vthe upper surface of the portion 38,.

ri"he principle of the invention described above is carried into the embodiments of the invention illustrated in Figures 5 and '7 of the drawings. In addition thereto these embodiments present a construction by means of which foreign substances will be prevented from being blown or drawn into the space between the door and the edge of the iioor in the door opening and thence into the car.

In Figure 5 of the drawings the numeral lil designates a threshold plate secured upon the floor 4| of the car within the door opening.V S- curement of the Ythreshold plate may be-eifected by Vmeans of bolts t2 extending through the threshold plate, the floor 4| and a horizontal leg 43 of an angle member 44 riveted to the side sill i3 by means of rivets 45. The threshold plate dii is extended downwardly across thev outer edge of the floor 4| Yand is then bent outwardly toV provide a flange 46. Filler plates 41 are secured to the inwardly extending ange 48 of a supporting track 49 by means of rivets extending through said flange and the track supporting brackets i4. These Vfiller plates extend underY the outwardly directed flange 46 of the threshold plate to provide a support for said flange. The filler plates 4l and the flange 46 of the threshold plate provide a raised portion having an upper surface disposed above the upper surface of the track upon which the rollers of the lift mechanisrn are supported. The upper surface thus provided by theV filler plates and the Yflange-orf the threshold plate is adapted to frictionally support the door in its lowered or normalrposition by frictionally engaging the reinforcing angle 50 provided upon the lower portion of the door.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure '7 of the drawings-a threshold plate 5| is' utilized and is secured in the manner described in the consideration of the embodif ment of the invention illustrated in Figure 5 of the drawings The ller plate 5| is extended downwardly across the edge of the floor 4|, and then bent outwardly to provide a ange 52 dise posed in engagement with the inwardly directed flange 48 of the track 49. In this embodiment of the invention the filler plates 4'|Y are omitted. In

lieu thereof a reinforcing member 53 of` the character shown in Figure 7 of the drawingsY is utilized. The member 53 is an angular member and embodies a vertical leg 54, by means of which said member is secured to the lower margin of the door and an outwardly directed horizontal leg 55. The vertical leg 54 of the reinforcing. member 53 is extended downwardly below the horizontal leg 55 so as to p-rovidea por-V tion adapted to frictionally engage the iiange 52 of the threshold plate 5| in order to support the door in its normal or' lowered position.

It will be apparent that the embodimentl of the invention illustrated in Figure 7 of the drawings, in common withV the embodiment illustrated in Figure 5 of the drawings, provides a construction by means of which the ingress of foreign substances. into the car through the space between the lower portion of the door and the fl'oor is prohibited. Moreover, it will be apparent that in both of said modifications of the invention a materially decreased surface is presented for engagement with and fn'ctional support of the door so as to substantially decrease the porssibility of improper frictional support of the door in its lowered position. Y

A further embodiment of the invention 1s lllustrated in Figure 6 of the drawings. A track 56 is utilized in this embodiment of the invention. The inwardly extending horizontal flangel 5l thereof is formed Vwith an upstanding portion 58 the upper surface of which lies above the tread of the track upon which the rollers 8 and |9 move. A reinforcing angle member 59 is secured to the lower margin of the door, said rein,-` forcing member being provided with a downwardly and inwardly inclined flange 60 and` a horizontal ange 6|. In the lowered position oi.-

the door, as illustrated in Figure 6,9; thec ,drjayvv` ings, it is frictionally supported by means of the engagement between the upstanding portion 58 of the track and the horizontal flange 6I of the .door reinforcing member 59. In theA event that during the lowering movement of the door such door be pulled outwardly away from the car side to the utmost extent permitted by the hook portions 35 and 36 provided on the cover plates 23 and 24 so as to provide a substantial distance between the inner face of the door and the threshold plate, such distance will be decreased by virtue of the engagement between the downwardly and inwardly extending flange 60 and the upstanding portion 58 of the track. In other words, in the lowering movement the engagement between these parts will serve to force the door inwardly toward the car so as to avoid the existence of a large gap between the door and lfthe threshold plate. It will be apparent that numerous changes and smodications in the details of the invention will 'be clear to those skilled in the art. It is intended, therefore, that all such modifications and changes be comprehended within this invention, which is to be limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

1. In a railway freight car having a door opening in a side thereof, a track secured to said car adjacent to the lower horizontal margin of said opening, a slidable door supported upon said track for closing saidopening, means at least co-extensive with said margin of the door opening disposed vertically between said track and the lower edge of said door for continuously and frictionally supporting said door in the lowered and closed position thereof, thereby preventing cinders, dust and the like from passing below and across said door from the outside thereof and into said car through the door opening, said means being narrower than the lower edge of said door and means for supporting said door for movement upon said track when said frictional support is broken.

2. In a. railway freight car having a door opening in a side thereof, a track secured to said car adjacent to the lower horizontal margin of said opening, a slidable lift door supported upon said track for closing said opening, a flange coextensive with the length of said door carried thereby and depending below the lower edge of said door, said flange being narrower than said edge of the door and for its entire length being supported upon said track in the lowered position of said door whereby to frictionally support said door and means for elevating and supporting said door for movement upon said track.

3. In a railway freight car having a door opening in a side thereof, a threshold plate secured to said car and extending across said opening, said plate being bent downwardly across the edge of said opening and then outwardly, a track secured to said car adjacent the lower horizontal margin of said opening, said outwardly bent portion being disposed upon said track, a lift door supported upon said track for closing said opening, said door having a ange co-extensive with the length thereof and depending therefrom, said depending flange continuously engaging said outwardly bent portion of the threshold plate in the lowered position of said door to provide frictional support therefor, and means for elevating and supporting said door for movement upon said track.

4. In a railway freight car having a door opening in a side thereof', a track secured to said cai` adjacent to the lower horizontal margin of said opening, a slidable door supported upon said track for closing said opening, said door comprising a reinforcing member secured to the lower margin of said door, said member having a leg extending substantially horizontally and in spaced vertical relation to said track, a fiange substantially narrower than said leg and co-extensive with the length of said door depending therefrom, the lower edge of said ange being supported continuously by said track in the lowered position of said door whereby to frictionally support said door and means for elevating and supporting said door for movement upon said track.

5. In a railway house car having a door opening in a side thereof, a track secured to said car below said opening, a slidable door supported upon said track for closing said door opening and a threshold plate secured to said car in said door opening, said plate extending downwardly into engagement with the tread of said track for the purpose set forth.

6. In a railway house car having a door opening in a side thereof, a track secured to said car below said opening, a slidable doo-r supported upon said track for closing said door opening and a threshold plate secured to said car in said door opening, said plate extending downwardly and having a flange supported by said track, said door being, of the lift type and having frictional engagement with said threshold plate flange in the lowered position of said door, whereby said door is supported above said track and means for elevating and supporting said door for movement upon said track.

7. In a railway freight car having a door opening in a side thereof, a track secured to said car adjacent to the lower horizontal margin of said opening, a slidable door supported upon said track for closing said opening, means interposed between and continuously engaging said track and said door to frictionally support said door in lowered and closed position in vertically spaced relation to said track and means for elevating and supporting said door for anti-frictional movement upon said track. i

8. In a railway freight car having a door opening in a side thereof, a track secured to said car adjacent to the lower horizontal margin of said opening, a slidable door supported upon said track for closing said opening, means interposed between and continuously engaging said track and the lower edge of said door to frictionally support said door in lowered and closed position in vertically spaced relation to said track and means for elevating and supporting said door for anti-frictional movement upon said track.

9. In a railway freight car having a door opening in a side thereof, a track secured tosaid car adjacent to the lower horizontal margin of said opening, a slidable door supported upon said track for closing said opening, a longitudinally extending rib provided on said track continuously engaging the lower edge of said door to frictionally support said door in lowered and closed position in vertically spaced relation to said track and means for elevating and supporting said door for anti-frictional movement upon said track.

10. In a railway freight car having a door opening in a side thereof, a track secured to said car adjacent to the lower horizontal margin of said opening, a slidable door supported upon said Vtrack foii dosing' said opening, said doei` 600m,- IJQIJ;V Said door :in lowered and ,cosed position,

prising a reinforcing memberseeured to the luwer thereby spacing the Vresi: gof said ,leg vertically margin of said door, said member :having a 'sube {ahw/'esaid,track,and means for elevating and supstantially horizontally extending leg, longiizndr iiying v4Said' doQnfor anti-.frictional movement nally extending means on said trank continudusly upon said track.

engaging a portionrof said leg toffrictionally snp- YGJEKJRGE R, TREPTOW. 

